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Beginners at solids...what am I doing??

Our DD turned 6 months old on the 21st and we started w/ a little bit of cereal mixed w/ breast milk and she DID NOT like the cereal.

We did the 3 day rule and I tried her out on squash last night for the first time - she LOVED it!

My question is, should I still try to give her cereal? Mix it w/ a veggie? Should I have given her a veggie this soon? My pedi wants cereal first, then veggies, then meats, then fruits. I know her main source should still be milk so I don't want to overload her w/ food.

How often should I feed her solids? She takes the spoon away from me and literally shoves it in her mouth and has a death grib on it so needless to say, this is a long drawn out process

I made my own food (squash, peas, g beans, sweet potato, apple, pears, carrots), can you make your own meat?? (I need to go back to wholesomebabyfood.com)

DH is literally no help and constantly says "I don't know, it's whatever you think", well, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK! My family is no help either because no one was BF this long or BF period.

We go to the pedi on the 29th for her 6 mo check up but I don't want to wait that long and be this confused as to what's going on. I could always call up there but I also want outside opinions if you're willing to give them.

Oh, should I still be as often as what I do while at work now that we're starting on solids?

Re: Beginners at solids...what am I doin

I ended up making all of the girls foods. It made me feel so much better knowing that there weren't any added sugars, salts or who-knows-what into their food. It was a heck of a lot easier on the pocket book too. It helps to guide you to what to introduce when, how to prepare it, etc.

I did use cereals (Heinz products) but some don't. Both ways are fine. Since you're still nursing, you don't have to worry about the actual nutrition of the food being given. The first year is all about exploring and learning about tastes and textures. So try not to stress yourself out too much and just enjoy the adventure with them!

Re: Beginners at solids...what am I doin

IMHO, the advice on solids differs so much from pediatrician to pediatrician that you might as well ignore them all. Your pediatrician says "start with cereal" but my pediatrician says "skip cereal, start with veggies" and a third pediatrician will say something else entirely.

Here's what I think about solids, after I have gotten 2 kids through them:
1. Cereal is optional. It is fortified with vitamins and minerals, but has nothing else going for it, nutritionally speaking. You can use it, or not, as you prefer.
2. With a 6 month old baby, you want to view solids as a game. If she eats some, great. If she tastes some and spits it out, great. If she refuses to open her mouth and prefers to squish the solids around with her hands, still great. At least she had a fun learning experience.
3. Offer once a day to begin with. Keep quantities small- a few tablespoons is plenty for a young baby.
4. Don't shy away from finger foods, even at 6 months. A baby can maneuver a cheerio into her mouth, or lick a peeled apple, or eat shreds of boiled meat.